


The Nerd and the Viking

by Knowmefirst



Category: Vikings (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Light Angst, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-04
Updated: 2015-07-04
Packaged: 2018-04-07 14:11:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4266225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Knowmefirst/pseuds/Knowmefirst
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Athelstan needed help and he never thought that he was going to get it from the quiet man that always came to his store.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Nerd and the Viking

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mm8](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mm8/gifts).



> Hope you like it. 
> 
> Note: Not beta, sorry!

  


Athelstan little books shop was located in the old town of the city, and he love it. He love opening the door each morning and smelling that old wood smell of old buildings. Mixed with the smell of wood was the smell of old and new books combine, bringing a smile to his face each day. Few people knew about the old bookstore, and those who knew were old costumers of his dad and now his. He had inherited the place from his father who had love any types of books. 

When his dad had died his father had stated on his will that whoever wanted the book store was more than welcome to it. However, none of his brothers nor sister wanted to do anything with the old place, so they all decided that if Athelstan wanted the place he could keep it. Of course, this had made Athelstan very happy because since he could remember, he had love to be here with his dad. After three years from inheriting the place; he was worry that he couldn’t keep the bookstore open for long. He knew that the bookstore wasn’t making enough money to make ends meet and his savings were running low. 

He push his glasses up as he thought of everything but he knew he had to think of a solution and soon or this place wasn’t going to remain open for long. However, one of the things that he was going to miss if he ever had to close the bookstore, was one single person. Athelstan didn’t know the man’s name but every Thursday the man would show up. The man didn’t try to converse with him, and Athelstan had tried that first time. However, the only thing he had gotten in return for trying; was a smile, and that is one of the things that the man would constantly do when he arrived and left each day, smile. 

And try to talk to him Athelstan did, that first day after the man had come in he had tried talking to him. But not matter what questions he ask or what he said, Athelstan never got a verbal answer back. The only thing he ever got for all his hard questioning and talking was the smile. Athelstan had smile and excuse himself after feeling embarrassed; letting the man know that if he needed anything at all, that he was going to be at the front desk. He had sat behind the counter and picking up a book from the many that he had lying around, but no matter how much he tried he could stop looking at the man. 

So, at first he had pretended to read and not to see the man browse, but then his curiosity got the better of Athelstan and he put his book down. That is when he notice that the man would go back and forth between the mythology and history section. Opening and closing books one after the other and after an hour of the same thing; the man would leave with a smile towards Athelstan. It has been three months since that first time that the man had shown up, and one thing that he had learn is not to ask questions and only smile at the man. But from that nothing had changed so much about his business side, the only thing that had change since that day was Athelstan and the not knowing what will happened with the bookstore.

***

Athelstan sat behind the counter in a small table that he had brought from the basement and push against the wall to work on paperwork. He scrub his hands over his face and looked down again at the bills. He didn’t know what to do anymore, he was out of money and the bills just kept piling up with more ‘overdue’ notices on the top. He looked around at the empty bookstore and to top it off this month and last he hadn’t made one sell. He will have to sell if he wanted to at least have a little bit of money to pay the bills. He had spoken with his brothers and sister and all of them had told him to sell. Chad this oldest brother had even said he had the number of a good realtor that could help Athelstan sell the bookstore.

When he heard the bell over the door he looked up and saw the man, and when the man smile his way, he smile back. However, by the way the man wrinkle his eyebrow he knew he hadn’t succeeded. After a moment of internal debate the man approach Athelstan making him raise his eyebrow at the unexpectedness. The man lean against the counter and looked around, then stretched his hand picking up a paper and pen. The man lean down and wrote something on the paper then turn it around to show it to Athelstan. 

Athelstan lean forward and read what the man had written. 

_What is wrong? You look sad?_

Athelstan look up at the man and saw the sincerity of the question in the blue eyes. 

“Is nothing.” 

_It must be something if your sad._ the man wrote down quickly. 

Athelstan looked around and then back at the man, “I will have to close the bookstore.” 

The man quickly wrote, _Why?”_

“I haven’t sold one single book for two months and I can’t keep it afloat anymore. My savings are all gone.” Athelstan sadly smile. 

_What do you need to be able to keep the bookstore open?_

Athelstan smile at the man and said: “A miracle.” 

The man smile and wrote something down on the paper.

_Then consider me your miracle._

Athelstan wrinkle his eyebrows, “What do you mean?”

The man turn the paper over and wrote down quickly, _I been coming for two months to this bookstore, because your bookstore is in a prime real state place..._

Athelstan open and close your mouth and then realizing who this man was , “You’re from the Kattegat Company. Your company has been trying to buy my dad and now I, for many years and we have said no.” 

The man wrote down, _Yes, I’m from the…_

Athelstan didn’t let him finish, he was mad at being deceive all this time, “Well congratulation you won, I can’t keep up with the bookstore.” 

Athelstan angrily clean the tear that he hadn’t even known had scape, and that made him angrier. The move towards the table and search through the papers until he found the contract that he had hidden but never thrown away. He move towards the man and took the pen away and turn to the last page until he sign his name. 

“There you got what you wanted.” 

The man yank the pen away and wrote down, _Not anymore. I don’t want it._

Athelstan looked up at the man, “Why?”

_Because the more I came; is the more I realize, that I didn't wanted to buy your store._

"Why?" Athelstan whispered. 

_Because I got to know the owner and his beautiful heart._

That made Athelstan smile, “You have never spoken to me until now.” 

_Sometimes you don’t need to talk to someone to get to know them. You just know._

***

It has been a year since and the store is doing much better, he has regular customers and new ones every single day. There is not one day that the store doesn’t have a customer. He smile when he heard the bell over the door sound and saw his boyfriend.

Ragnar sign, _Are you ready to go?_

“Yes, I am.” Athelstan turn to Yesenia, “I’ll be back later.” 

Yesenia look over and smile, and indicated that he should already go.

Athelstan walk around the counter and lean up to kiss his boyfriend. Yes, it has been a year of so many changes and one of them was his beautiful strong man. Sometimes he jokingly thought of them as the nerd and the Viking. One with his love of books and the other with his strong resemblance to a Viking warrior. 

Yes, now that he thought about it; they sure were the nerd and the Viking.


End file.
